Whatever attracts you to the seashore, whether it is beachcombing, bird-watching, rock pooling, bathing or just watching the world go by, the Island's coasts will certainly provide inspiration as well as contentment.

There are two stretches of "Heritage Coast", covering nearly half of the Island's 60 mile (97 km) coastline. This designation is only applied to coastlines of the highest quality and unspoilt nature in England and Wales.

The Tennyson Heritage Coast extends from St Lawrence to Totland Bay along the Island's southern coastline. This wild open coastline of fossil-rich sediments culminates in the towering chalk cliffs at Freshwater Bay. Beyond this are the famous Needles rocks and the multi-coloured sandstone cliffs of Alum Bay. This coast is very accessible with the Military Road alongside and a clifftop footpath following its entire length. Here, in the past, fishermen eeked out a tough living in dangerous coastal waters where many a ship foundered on the shallow ledges protruding from the cliffs. Tales are still told of the lifeboatmen, mostly the same fishermen, who braved the stormy seas in rowing boats to pluck survivors from doomed ships. Their heroism is recorded in the nearby village churches of Brook and Brighstone.

The Hamstead Heritage Coast on the Solent side in contrast, comprises the wooded coastal slopes of Bouldnor Forest, the shallow, drowned estuary of the Newtown River and the pasture-fringed bay of Thorness.

Other coastal areas are no less attractive with cliffs of red and gold sandstone contrasting with the mottled clays of green and purple. Slicing through these soft cliffs around the Island, narrow fissures called "chines" erode their way inland. These chines were often used by smugglers hauling contraband off the beaches.

Bembridge Harbour at the mouth of the East Yar estuary is popular, not only with yachting people, but also with thousands of waterfowl that frequent the old millpond at St Helens every winter. Walking from here, round the coast towards Seaview, you stumble upon one of the Island's least known coastal delights, Priory Bay, which is fringed with coastal woodlands of oak and hazel and in the secure ownership of the National Trust.

The vertical chalk cliffs at Whitecliff Bay, south of Bembridge, provide a splendid backdrop to wide sandy beaches stretching eastwards to the Bembridge ledges, which are of international importance for marine life. At low tide, this extensive area of shoreline attracts many wading birds and reveals hundreds of rock pools teeming with crabs, sea anemones and periwinkles.

Fort Victoria Country Park, near Yarmouth, offers an area of coastal woodland and a rocky shoreline of extraordinary diversity for you to discover. Stunning views of Hurst Castle across the Solent are only occasionally interrupted by the graceful lines of the QE2 passing by. This is one of the best places to see the Round-the-Island Yacht Race held every June.

Cowes is world famous as an international yachting centre and the town teems with visitors during Cowes Week, the first week in August. The seafront promenade attracts visitors throughout the year who like to watch the constant offshore activity.